China Market Webinar – Partnerships in European Tourism

Partnerships in European Tourism is an EU initiative aimed at supporting EU tourism businesses and operators wishing to expand their businesses into the Chinese and US markets, through tutoring activities, facilitating new collaborations and partnerships around trans-European tourist products and the organisation of B2B matchmaking and other promotional events alongside international fairs.

The programme offers the opportunity to learn about and directly engage with the Chinese and US markets at a series of in-market and European-based events. The launch event in Venice and events in China will form part of the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year.

This webinar focuses on the Chinese market; providing market insights, case studies and best practice. This will provide background and practical information for candidates looking to join the Partnerships in European Tourism events in 2018, the EU-China Tourism Year.

Kairos Future is an international consulting and research company that assists companies, organizations and leaders to understand and shape their futures. We work as consultants for strategic futures, providing our clients with trend analysis and scenario planning, strategy and innovation, strategic change and capability development. Our aim is to make complexity actionable. Our vision is a world where everybody puts future first. Findings from the “Research Snapshot on the Chinese Travel Market 2017, Preparatory report for the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year” will be presented.

This section focuses on typical cultural differences that arise when Chinese tourists visit Europe. It offers advice on how to address them and prepare for them, so that we can offer the best possible service to Chinese visitors. To understand which cultural differences between Europe and China should be highlighted and which should be minimized in order to offer the best possible service to Chinese visitors to Europe.

We will take an in-depth look at a specific example of a small business that has adapted its product to attract Chinese visitors. They will share their experiences of what has worked well. To hear about a specific example of a European tourism SME that has adapted its product for the Chinese market. To hear ideas about how this can be done and what is successful.This is also an interesting case study the success attained by an attendee of an EU-funded project, namely World Bridge Tourism.

Social media and the visitor experience – Bart Horsten, Horsten International

This presentation is an in-depth look at an example of a Social Media (WeChat – Weibo – others) campaign that successfully engaged with Chinese visitors and led to increased visits from the Chinese market. Many European players in the tourist industry lack sufficient knowhow and resources to plan, organize and execute effective marketing campaigns in the Chinese target market. Horsten and MyChinaWeb have helped several Belgian players in the tourist industry to attract more Chinese tourists through offline and online assistance, including representation in China, communication and negotiation with Chinese tour operators, set-up and management of social media presence and online marketing. Hear about case studies from European tourism businesses that have successfully executed social media campaigns that have led to increased visits from Chinese tourists. To hear recommendations for how to conduct a successful social media campaign to attract Chinese visitors.

In this section we will look at new technology and its applications to Chinese tourism. We will cover augmented reality and machine learning, and look at how it can be used to increase visitors from China to Europe. To learn about new technologies that could change the landscape in attracting Chinese visitors to Europe, and hear recommendations for investing in them.

Q&A Session Moderator – Carey Fletcher, China Holidays

During the webinar participants can ask questions via the chat function which will be answered live, with selected questions of general interest (or asked by several participants) answered to the full audience during the Q&A time. Questions can also be submitted already before the webinar via email, this information is given with the confirmation of signing-in for the webinar.

Interested members of the public are welcome to browse the open areas of etoa.org the contents of the website have been drawn from a number of sources and so its accuracy is not guaranteed.

And please be aware that ETOA is an Association whose primary purpose is to campaign for a better regulatory environment. It also provides an information and contact network between its members. ETOA is not a bonding Association. In no way does membership of the Association imply that a member is solvent, or that the services they supply are of a particular standard. Consumers seeking these reassurances should look elsewhere.